The Value of A Referral In Your Direct Sales Business

We work in a referral business. Hosts refer you and your products to their friends, guests at your parties refer their friends to you, even Facebook and your company website generate referrals for you. The question is, do you understand just how valuable those referrals are?

When someone refers someone they care about to you, they’re basically telling that person, “I know her, I trust her, and she’ll take good care of you.” The important thing to realize about that is, if they don’t feel that way about you, they won’t feel comfortable making that referral. So it’s your job to make sure that the people with whom you come in contact in your direct sales business feel that they know, like, and can trust you so they’ll want to refer their friends and family to you.

How do you assure that?

Give them a reason to like you

First and foremost, you have to find a way to endear yourself to the guests at your parties, your hosts and your customers. The easiest way I’ve found to do that is to JUST BE YOURSELF! The more authentic you can be, the more people see you as real and relatable and the easier it will be to connect with them.

Make it all about them

When you understand that it’s truly not about you and you find a way to always turn your attention onto the other person, you create a connection and they feel valued by you. When they see how interested you are in their lives, they’ll naturally assume you’ll treat their referral with the same care.

Let them know you’re committed but not attached to the outcome, ever

If someone gets even an inkling that you’re somehow pushy (that dreaded “P” word!), they’ll never hand over their friend or family member’s information to you. You can be enthusiastic about your opportunity and your products, but you have to do it with zero expectation. In other words, I’m committed to making sure you get the best value and I share my passion for what I do with you, but I’m not attached to whether or not you say yes to something I offer you. When you come from this perspective and energy, it’s impossible to come across as pushy.

Follow up with those referrals

This is HUGE! If someone actually likes and trusts you enough to turn over their friend’s information to you and go out on a limb and recommend you to them, you absolutely must take that seriously and do your part to follow up. No matter what, make sure you reach out to that referral as soon as you can and that you continue to follow up until you reach them.

Spread the word online without being “spammy’

People ask me all the time about how to recruit and advertise their direct sales business online. If you’re looking for a reputable, simple online referral system, you’ll want to check out “Direct Sales Job List.” The website is designed to help individuals who want to work from home and own their own business. This is your opportunity to tell others about your business, why you joined, how it has changed your life, and to promote your products/services. The site is advertised on Google Adwords and online job websites, through social media and online press releases, through word of mouth and more. To see exactly what you will get when you join, you can visit their CONTACT US page. Then at the bottom of the page you can click on the SIGN UP FORM button to submit your direct sales business.

They are only going to allow one representative from each company in each state so if you want to stand out and grow your business, submit the SIGN UP FORM today! This is a perfect opportunity to get your business out there and recruit team members.

Here’s a very cool bonus…Advertising is FREE for the rest of 2014. Pay nothing until January 2015. After that, you can pay month to month ($9.95 per month). No commitments, and you can cancel at any time.

Getting a referral is a true validation of how you treat other people and how well you do your job as a direct seller. Make sure you take this part of your business seriously and treat that referral as the gold mine that it is.

Ready for a fresh start in your direct sales business this Fall? Grab my “Direct Sales Starter Kit” to kick start your plan. It’s yours for free when you subscribe to my mailing list. Already a member? My system won’t add you twice, so go ahead and grab the starter kit anyhow. Click here to subscribe to my mailing list.

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Julie Anne Jones is direct sales corporate consultant, coach, and trainer, and the CEO of Julie Anne Jones, Inc. She is known for her authentic and easy-to-use scripting and specializes in specific language and tools for success in direct sales. To learn more about Julie Anne and her products and services, and to read her weekly blog posts, visit her at www.julieannejones.com.